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Tuesday, February 19, 2013

As we read in our world history book about the Japanese samurai warriors, we learned that in times of peace, the noblemen used to keep their samurais busy by engaging them in sumo wrestling. The practice of sumo wrestling allowed Japanese warriors to fight without blades or bloodshed. We learned some of the sumo wrestling rules and made our own sumo wrestling game!

Here's what we did:
1) We used the elongaged circle (more of an oval actually) of our carpet as our sumo wrestling ring (called dohyo by samurais).
2) We prepared ourselves by tying pillows on our fronts and backs, in order to look somewhat like the very heavy sumo wrestlers.
3) Hafsa was offered to make the traditional sumo fighter hair-style, which is putting all the hair in a knot on the top of the head, by she shyly declined the offer... oh well...

Here are some of the sumo wrestling rituals we did:
1) We (both wrestlers - Uzair and Hafsa) paraded into the ring from the opposite sides (actually sumo wrestlers are supposed to have also two attendants each, which we didn't have).
2) We squatted at the oppostie ends of the ring, stretched our our hands and clapped once - this is called the chirichozu ritual.
3) We performed shiko ritual - exaggerated foot stamping on each leg to drive away the bad spirits.
4) We took a sip of water each - to purify ourselves.
5) We were supposed to throw a handful of salt into the ring each, but since our mom wasn't very happy about this ritual, so we didn't do it.
6) We went to the middle of the ring, clenched fists, crouched down and glared at each other, with the goal of breaking the opponent's focus.
7) We started the wrestling, the goal of which is to push the opponent out of the sumo ring.

We also learned that, according to some experts, thumb wrestling is a form of "mini-sumo".

When Asma saw Uzair and Hafsa getting ready, she came carrying
her own pillow as well and insisted on 'getting ready' for it.

﻿

We (both wrestlers - Uzair and Hafsa) paraded into the ring
from the opposite sides (actually sumo wrestlers are supposed
to have also two attendants each, which we didn't have).

We squatted at the oppostie ends of the ring, stretched our our hands
and clapped once - this is called the chirichozu ritual.

We performed shiko ritual - exaggerated foot stamping
on each leg to drive away the bad spirits.

We took a sip of water each - to purify ourselves.

We went to the middle of the ring, clenched fists,
crouched down and glared at each other, with
the goal of breaking the opponent's focus.

We started the wrestling, the goal of which is
to push the opponent out of the sumo ring.